Apparatus for manufacturing sheet-glass.



APPLICATION FILED 00116, 1913.

Patented Nov. 24, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

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APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING SHEET GLASS.

APPLICATION FILED 001.l5, 1918.

Patented Nov. 24, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

INVEN'I'OR FIG.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALFRED M. MAZER, OF JEANNETTE, PENNSYLVANIA.

1,1is,ee5.

To all whom it may concern: a

Be it known that I, ALFRED M. MAZER, a

citizen of the Republic of France, and resident of Jeannette, in the county of WVestmoreland and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Manufacturing Sheet-Glass, of which the following is a. specification.

The primary object of this invention is to provide improved apparatus for producing glass in sheet form with reinforced edges for preserving the width of the sheet during the drawing operation, the invention having particular reference to apparatus of simple and improved construction for practising the method disclosed in Letters Patent No. 1,069,019, granted to me July 29, 1913.

A further object is to provide a reversible two-chamber pot of improved construction which operates in connection with a furnace for cleaning the previously used glassholding chamber while glass is being drawn from the other chamber, whereby the chambers are cleaned without injury to the pot, and whereby a properly conditioned cham:

ber is always ready for the next sheet-drawing operation.

In the accompanying drawings, Figurel is'a view partly in elevation and partly in vertical section of apparatus embodying the invention, the part shown in section being taken on line 11 of Fig.2. Fig. 2 is a view of the apparatus partly in top plan and partly in sectional plan, the plane of the portion in section being indicated by line 22 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a vertical cross-section of the apparatus on line 3-3 of Fig. 1, the same being shown in connection with a tank or.other melting furnace from which the molten glass is drawn. Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation on line 44 of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is an end elevation. Fig. 6

is a detail View of the bait-supporting crosshead. Fig. 7 is a detail illustrating a drawn sheet supported clear of the sheet-drawing means. Fig. 8 is a detail of a portion of one of the reinforcement strips.

Referring to the drawings, 2 designates a furnace which may be heated by gas burners 3, The crown of the furnace-is arched or of semi-circular form as indicated at 4 and formed with longitudinal top opening 5. Rotatably mounted in the opposite walls of the furnace beneath crown 4 1S pot 6 which APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING SHEET-GLASS.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented N 0v. 24, 1914. Application filed October 15, 1913. Serial No. 795,194. 7

ber is quite material, the same being of a.

length corresponding approximately to the width of the sheet to be drawn and being relatively narrow and deep. By this means the body of lass to be drawn is compactl held in proximity to the plane of sheet as it takes shape so that the glass readily flows into sheet formation'as it is drawn upwardly by the bait.

The pot 6, formed of fire clay or other suitable refractory material, is constructed with the hexagonal end extensions 8 for fixedly receiving the ring-like journals 9 which are rotatable in bearing grooves 10 in the opposite walls of furnace 2. Annular flanges 8 on the pot at the inner sides of Journals 9 protect the latter from the destructive action of the heat. The pot is adapted to be rotated for turning either chamber 7 into operative position by means of circular plates 11 secured to the bearing rings 9 and on each of which is adapted to rotate the lever-turned ring 12, the latter being provided with a pivoted dog 13 for engaging the ratchet teeth 14 of plate 11,

thereby rotating the vpot as will be understood.

Ends 8 of the pot are recessed inwardly at 15, and plates 11 are correspondingly slotted at 11. Each cavity 15 extends through the top of the end wall of each chamber 7 as indicated at 16, and said cavity is in slotted communication with the end of chamber 7 as indicated at 17, the cavity being formed with shoulders 18 at opposite sides of each slot 17, said shoulders providing bearing surfaces. for the reinforcing strips B which are entered through passages l5 and upwardly through the top openings 16 thereof.

The inner face of each reinforcing strip is exposed through slot 17 to the glass with in the uppermost chamber 7, the strip being held pressed against shoulders 18 with its inner surfaces exposed, as described, and

with slots 17 thus closed to-the outward flowof glass.

Each against shoulders 18 by the curved end of shoe 19 entered in cavity 15 and carried by a bar20, the latter being slidable through guides 21, with a coiled spring 22 confined on the bar between the guides for tensioning the pressure of the shoe on the strip. When the strips are to be inserted, or when the pot is to be reversed, the shoes are retracted against the pressure of springs 22, being held in retracted position each by a pin inserted in opening of the bar when the bar is moved outwardly sufliciently to place the pin opening at the outer side of the innermost guide 21. The tension of the spring-pressed shoes may be varied as re- 20 quired for maintaining the strips in proper engagement with shoulders 18 without injuriously retarding the upward movements of the strips. -Also, these tension devices operate to hold the reinforcing strips 25 straight or taut, and thus insure the draw-- ing of a sheet of uniform width.

The bait 25, formed of any suitable material has its upper end enlarged at 25. to rest on cross-head 26 with the'body'of the bait 30 depending through slot 26 of the cross- .head 26, an asbestos or other heat-resisting pad or bushing 27 being interposed between the bait head 25 and cross-head 26. The

cross-head is slidable on vertical "guides 28, being raised and lowered by any suitable means, as by cables 29. Slot 25 of crosshead 26 is enlarged transversely at 26". to pass the reinforcement strips B, the latter formed with heads or enlargements B to support the strips in suspended position en the cross-head.

In operation, the bait is positioned in cross-head 26., and after the opposite strips are suspended from the latter'in the manner described the bait. and'strips are lowered, the strips being directed downwardly and outwardly through recesses 15 until the.

lower extremity of the bait has slightly entered the upwardly facing chamber 7. With the strips and bait thus in position, the tension shoes 19 are entered in cavities 15 and hold the strips with the requisite pressure against shoulders 18. The apparatus being arranged in close relation to a tanker other furnace G, a sufficient amount of glass is permitted to flow therefrom through spout D intothe active chamber 7 of the pot, and as soon as the depth of glass in the chamber is sufiicient to immerce the lower extremity of the bait the flow through spout D is cut ed and the upward movement ofcross-head 26and the bait is begun. As the glass is in enga ement with strips B through the cham er wall slots 17 it adheres to the strips and by this means the full width of reinforcing strip isheld pressed means for nuance the sheet is preserved throughout the drawing operation, the glass being prevented from stringing or narrowing as would be its tendency in the absence of the edge reinforcement. The upward movement continfollowing the annealing operation the rem forcing strips may be trimmed from the edges of the sheet and the latter cut into commercial sizes.

The reinforcement strips are formed of a 5 suitable metal and the surfaces thereof, more particularly the .faces subjected to the adhering glass, are coated or covered with powdered asbestos or other suitable material as indicated at b, Fig. 8, such coatingbeing applied by means of a suitable heatresisting glue. The effect of this coating is to prevent such a firm bond between the strip and glass-as might result in'fracturing the glass under unequal contraction of the latter and the reinforcement.

' Tclaim:

1. 'Ap'paratusfor producing sheet-glass f comprising a molten glass container open' for drawing a sheet of glass, the container having slot-like passages through opposite vertical walls which are Gpen to its interior and through which reinforcements are adapted to be presentedto the sheet as it forms.

2. Apparatus for producing sheet-glass comprising a molten glass container openat its top for drawing a sheet of glass upwardly therefrom, the container having passages through opposite vertical walls which extend upwardlyfrom the exterior of the container to its interior and communicate with the latter for the laterally inward and upward-passage of reinforcements to which the edges of the sheet adhere as the latter is 1 5 being formed.

3. Apparatus for producmg sheet-glass comprising a molten glass container open for drawing a sheet of glass therefrom, opposite walls of the container formed with upwardly extending 'guideways which open through the tops of said walls, the gu deways for a distance downwardly from their upper ends in open commun cation w th the container interior, each guideway formed 25 withibearing surfaces at opposite sides of the said container-ecommunicatmg opening,

causing a, reinforcing strip entered in each guideway toengage said bearing surfaces with a portion of the inner face of the strip exposed to the container interior, and strip and sheet-drawing means.

4. Apparatus for producing sheet-glass comprising a molten glass container open for drawing a sheet of glass therefrom, opposite walls of the container formed with upwardly extending guideways which open through'the tops of said walls, the guideways for a distance downwardly from their upper ends in open communication with the container interior, each guideway formed with bearing surfaces at opposite sides of the said container-commumcating opening, spring-pressed devices entered in the guideways for pressing reinforcing strips against said bearing surfaces, and strip and sheetdrawing means.

5. Apparatus for producing sheet-glass comprising a molten glass container open for drawing a sheet of glass, opposite walls of the container formed with openings extending from their outer upright faces and through the upper ends of said walls, the upper ends of said openings being in slotted communication with the container interior and with upwardly extending bearing surfaces at opposite sides of the slotted communications, devices entered in the wall openings from the furnace exterior and adapted to hold reinforcement strips in engagement with the said bearing surfaces with portions of the strips exposed to the container interior, and strip and sheet-drawing means.

6. Apparatus for producing sheet-glass comprising a molten glass container open for drawinga sheet of glass, the opposite Walls of the container formed with openings extending from their outer upright faces and through the upper ends of said walls, the upper ends of said openings being in slotted communication with the container interior and with upwardly extending bearing surfaces at opposite sides of the slotted communications, inwardly extending springpressed shoes entered in said openings from the exterior of the container and adapted to exert yielding pressure on reinforcement strips entered in said openings and hold such strips in engagement with said bearing surfaces with a portion of the inner face of each strip exposed to the containerinterior, and strip and sheet-drawing means.

7. In apparatus for producing sheet-glass, the combination of a furnace, a pot rotatable in the furnace about a horizontal axis and having oppositely disposed glass-hold ing cavities, opposite walls of each cavity slotted vertically for a distance downwardly from their upper ends, means for holding reinforcement strips in.the cavities with the inner faces of said strips exposed to the cavity interior through said slots, and sheet and strip-drawing means.

8. In apparatus for producing sheet-glass,

the combination of a furnace, a pot rotatable in the furnace about a horizontal axis and having oppositely disposed glass-holding cavities, opposite walls of each cavity formed with recesses which open through the vertical outer faces of said walls and through the top faces thereof with the recesses in slotted communication with the upper portion of the glass-holding cavity and with shoulders in the recesses at oppo- 5 site sides of said slotted communications, reinforcement strips adapted to extend upwardly through said recesses, devices entered in said cavities for holding the strips in engagement with said shoulders with the inner faces of the strips exposed to the glass,

and vertically movable sheet and strip-draw ing means.

9. In apparatus for producing sheet-glass, the combination of an open-top molten glass container having opposite walls formed with upright strip passages which communicate with the container interior, reinforcement strips movable through said passages, movable strip-holding devices entered in the passages for holding the strips in operative position, and sheet-drawing means to which the strips are secured.

10. In apparatus for producing sheetglass, the combination of a glass-holding pot rotatable about a horizontal axis, opposite walls of the pot formed with strip passages which open laterally into the glass-holding cavity beneath the level of the glass therein, reinforcement strips entered in said passages and extending upwardly through the top of the pot, strip-holding devices at opposite sides of the pot and removably entered in said passages for holding the strips in operative position, and sheet drawing means to which the strips are secured.

11. In apparatus for producing sheetglass, the combination of a pot rotatable about a horizontal axis, a furnace beneath the pot, the pot formed with open-top glassholding cavities at opposite sides of its horizontal axis, opposite end walls of the pot formed with strip-guiding passages which are open to the end portions of each of the glass-holding cavities, strips adapted to be 11 entered in said passages and extending upwardly from the uppermost cavity, devices at opposite ends of the pot and removably entered in said passages for holding the strips in operativeposition with relation to the uppermost cavity, and glass-drawing means to which the strips are secured.

12. In apparatus for producing sheetglass, the combination of a furnace provided with opposite bearings, an ,open-top glassholding pot, trunnions at opposite ends of the pot mounted in the furnace bearings to rotate about a horizontal axis, the trunnions and the end walls of the glass-holding cavity of the pot' formed with strip entering 18 and guiding passages, reinforcement strips entered in said passages and. movable upwardly therethrough, devices removably encured.

In testimony whereofl afix my signature in presenee of two Witnesses.

ALFRED M. MAZER.

Witnesses:

J. M. NESBIT9 F. E. GAITMR. 

